This year, Bozeman will join communities across the world to celebrate World Refugee Day on Tuesday, June 20th through a series of events to engage local residents in conversation and thought about the global to local refugee dynamic. Events are free and open to the public. World Refugee Week is hosted by Gallatin Refugee Connections, a Bozeman-based organization committed to creating and sustaining a welcoming environment for refugees. Chalk the Block will get things started on Monday, June 19th at the Bozeman Public Library, 626 E. Main St., from 5–6pm.
Bring your families and friends to, quite literally, chalk the block outside the Library. Cover the sidewalk with images of inclusivity and the interconnectedness of our global community. Chalk will be supplied — you bring the creativity! Join for a film screening of After Spring from 6–8pm at the Library, directly following Chalk the Block. With the Syrian conflict now in its sixth year, millions of people continue to be displaced. This is the story of what happens next. By following two refugee families in transition and aid workers fighting to keep the camp running, viewers experience what it is like to live in Zaatari, the largest camp for Syrian refugees. With no end in sight for the conflict or the refugee crisis, everyone must decide if they can rebuild their lives in a place that was never meant to be permanent. Join for this screening and brief post-viewing discussion. Learn more about the documentary at www.afterspringfilm.com. Then check out presentation “Healthcare & the Mediterranean Refugee Crisis” on Wednesday, June 21st at the Community Café, 302 N. 7th Ave.
Experience an evening of Mediterranean cuisine accompanied by a discussion about the global refugee dynamic with a focus on healthcare in refugee camps. The Community Café will serve a Mediterranean-themed meal from 5–7pm, followed by a presentation at 7pm led by Dr. Katie Woods, a Bozeman-based family physician working at Montana State University. Over the past two years, Dr. Woods has provided medical care to refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war in Lesvos, Greece, and Northern Jordan. Dr. Woods will discuss her work and the perspectives of the refugees she met in this humanitarian crisis. Learn more about Gallatin Refugee Connections at www.facebook.com/gallatinrefugeeconnections. •